


A Simple Question

by WeLoveLightning



Category: Persona 5
Genre: F/M, Marriage Proposal, One Shot, Post-Canon, Romance, Romantic Comedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-17
Updated: 2020-10-17
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:01:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27056860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WeLoveLightning/pseuds/WeLoveLightning
Summary: Ryuji had something to ask Ann, and he's losing his mind over it.
Relationships: Sakamoto Ryuji/Takamaki Ann
Kudos: 23
Collections: PersonashipsIlove





	A Simple Question

Today was the most important day of Ryuji’s life so far, and clearly, he was terrified about how it could end. This may have been the first time Ren has seen his best friend so nervous. Ren returned to Tokyo, visiting friends while his college was on summer break. It just so happened that Ryuji wanted him to be here for support.

  
“Relax man. I’m sure everything will go fine,” Ren said, trying to provide some reassurance. “This is Ann we’re talking about remember? You guys have been dating for three years, and you’ve known each other for even longer.”

  
The hotblooded man ran his fingers through his hair, which had become a mash of his signature blond and natural black hair. Futaba was right when claiming that his hair resembled a Pikachu. Not that Ren would say that out loud.

  
“Geez, I didn’t know Ryuji could get so fidgety,” Morgana said, sticking his head out of Ren’s bag. “What’s got him so worked up anyway?”

  
“Hm. Oh yeah, I didn’t tell you. Ryuji is proposing to Ann.”

  
“What!” the cat exclaimed, but to the surrounding public, it was probably a loud meow. “What is this fool doing? Did he find a romantic spot? Will the mood be right? Is the ring expensive enough?”

Ren laughed, “I didn’t expect you to react like this. You seemed more highwire than Ryuji right now.”

  
“Well, of course, this is Lady Ann we’re talking about. I sadly come to terms with my relationship with her, but that does not mean I would never support. But even I know, that a woman like Lady Ann deserves to have the greatest proposal on this earth.”

  
“Hey, Ren, did you hear back from Sojiro yet?” Ryuji asked. Finally breaking from his frantic back and forward pacing. Ren checked his messages, looking for a text from Futaba confirming that Leblanc will be reserved for tonight. The café seemed to had a boom in popularity after Ren returned home.

  
“Not yet, but it should be soon,” Ren said, throwing his arm over his friend’s shoulder. “Just stay calm, and take a few deep breathes.” Ren could feel the tension slowly leave Ryuji’s shoulder.

  
“Just think that by the end of the night, you two will be Mr. and Mrs. Sakamoto.” Ren could hear Morgana retching behind him. Ryuji cast off a short glance.

  
“Takamaki…”

  
“What?” Ren and Morgana questioned in unison.

  
“Takamaki. Mr. and Mrs. Takamaki. I plan on taking her family name; I don’t intend on her taking mines.”

  
“Ah,” was all Ren needed to say. He understood everything perfectly.

  
Ryuji had a clear disdain for his father for how the man treated him and his mother, then abandoning them. Ryuji never mention it unless asked, but his feelings have always been clear to see.

“Well,” Ren said, dispersing the returning tension, “We got all the time in the world until the evening. How about we hit up the ramen shop?”

Ryuji smiled, his grin reaching ear to ear. “Man, you know just what to say to get me in the mood. You watching get all worked up. It’s not like Ann knows I’m proposing to her.”

*****

“I still can’t believe Ryuji plans on proposing,” Ann muttered, her mouth stuffed with deserts. Makoto was impressed with how much a person could indulged themselves with sugars.

“Won’t she get sick eating all that?” Makoto leaned over to Shiho, who was stealthily recording her best friend with her phone.

Shiho shook her head, “Ann seems to have a void for stomach when sweets are a concern. Kind of similar to Ryuji with meat.”

“You ‘o I ‘an ‘ear you?” Ann said. Her mouth was filled with at least three different kinds of cake.

“Come again?” Makoto asked.

“No talking with your mouth full,” Shiho teased. Makoto smiled; Shiho managed to make a full recovery from her suicide attempt due to the harassment from Kamoshida.

Makoto still looked back at that period of time with regret for how ignorant she was of the situation back then. If not for the Ren and the Phantom Thieves, many authority figures would have continued to abuse their power.

Ann finished swallowing the rest of the desert, clearing her throat. “I say you know I can hear you.”

Shiho smirked, “To be fair, Ann, you were chewing a bit loudly.”

Ann blushed, “I can’t help it. I sort of pig out when I’m stressed out.”

“What’s there to stress about? If anything, you should be ecstatic. You are the only person in this world that could make Ryuji Sakamoto do something like this.”

Makoto nodded, “I agree. You even managed to make him take school seriously.” Makoto felt a wave of shame after realizing, “Something I could never get him to do.”

“I knew this day would come ever since you paid for his bus fare after he bought that stuffed penguin,” Shiho said, playfully wiping false tears from her eyes.

“It was a stuffed dolphin,” Ann retorted, rolling her eyes. “He still never paid me back for it either.” She crossed her arms, pouting.

Makoto took a sip of her tea. “I must say the thought a marriage proposal is quite exciting. Do you have any idea when he might propose?”

“Uh,” Ann sunk lower into her chair, “Tonight.”

Makoto and Shiho sat silent and shocked. If not for the fresh aroma of her tea knocking her out of her trance, she would have still ben bewildered. “Tonight? Are you certain?

Isn’t tonight supposed to be our welcome back party for Ren at Leblanc? Does anyone else know? How did you even find out?” Makoto questioned. She could sense her sister’s influence growing stronger with each question.

“Makoto breath!” Shiho said, placing a calming hand on Makoto’s shoulder. It took a few elongated breathes, but eventually, Makoto found herself relaxing once more.

Ann began rubbing the back of her head. “What to make a long story short. I kind of overheard him asking Futaba and Haru to help set everything up. Also, Ryoko-san has been more eager as of late, so it has to happen sooner than later.”

Shiho sighed, rubbing her forehead, “Ah, like mother, like son. I hope you do understand that you have to act surprised when he does it.”

Ann prepped up, “Of course, I’ve been practicing my acting skill. Look.” Ann began to make a variety of exaggerated faces. Makoto glared stone-faced; she glanced towards Shiho who struggled to hold back her laughter.

“I’m sure that everything will go fine. It’s not like Ryuji has some big extravagant plan in mind.”

Ann nodded, “Maybe, but I wouldn’t put it past him however. This is the guy who confessed to me while running a race.”

Shiho snapped her finger excited, “Oh yeah! I remember that. The news covered it with the headline, 'Shujin Track Star Chases the Gold and Love'. Quite romantic if you ask me.”

Ann reclined, “Yeah, since you weren’t the one, he confessed to. It took weeks for the school to stop talking about it.”

Makoto’s phone vibrated. She pulled out it, checking her messages. She took a deep breathe, “It’s from Ren. Everyone is at Leblanc.”

Ann tensed up. “I’m going to need some cake to go.”

****

Ren was aware of the phrase “Looks can be deceiving.” Ryuji was the prime example of it. Any outsider would look at him and think of him as brash, vulgar, violent, or a delinquent. From a judgmental person’s view, they would be correct. Luckily, Ren has the fortune of getting to know him, and he knew his friend well.

Outside his loud and brash exterior, Ryuji proven himself to be kind, selfless, and protective of those he considered a friend. But right now, he proving how much of a mommy’s boy he is.

“Ryu-kun, you need to relax,” Ryoko Sakamoto, Ryuji’s mother, said, wiping a bit of curry from her son’s cheek. Everyone laughed as Ryuji blushed, embarrassed by his mother’s doting. “Sometimes, I wonder where you get this anxious nature from.”

“You. Considering you’ve been tapping your foot since we got here,” Ryuji retorted, looking down as his mother’s foot drumming the wooden floor furiously.

“So, that’s what that noise,” Futaba stated.

Sojiro rubbed his chin, “At least, it wasn’t a bug. Getting the shop sprayed out would have cost a hefty amount.”

Ryoko blushed, “Sorry.”

Sojiro held up a hand, “Don’t mind. Any parent would be excited for such an occasion.”

“Does that mean you will be the same way when Futaba is proposed to?” Ren asked, clearly messing with the shopkeeper. Futaba turned, looking at her father with a cheeky grin.

“N-now hold on,” Sojiro stammered, clearing his throat. “Of course, I will be the happiest father on earth when Futaba get married…”

“Aw, Sojiro,” Futaba fawned.

“…when she’s thirty.”

“Thirty?” Futaba exclaimed, “I’ll be an old bag of bones by then.”

“Hey!” Ryoko and Sojiro said together.

The door opened and the entry bell chimed. Enter Haru, Yusuke, Makoto, Shiho, and the lady of the hour, Ann. For some odd reason, she seemed nervous.

“Did you go buy deserts?” Futaba questioned as Yusuke stuffed his face with a vanilla strawberry crepe.

Haru smiled, “Yusuke’s stomach started growling as we waited for them so I buy him some food.”

Yusuke looked shamefully, “Yes, it seems that waiting in the food section of the subway station only exalted my hunger. Excuse me, Haru.”

Haru gave Yusuke a few light pats on the head, comforting him.

“Well, I know that Inari is always starving,” Futaba pointed down at Ann who was holding bags. “I was talking about Ann who was carrying three cake-sized bags.”

Ann blushed, “Oh, well, you know since Ren is back. I thought it would be best if we celebrate with a few sweets.”

“Is it really a few?” Ryuji remark, receiving an elbow from his mother.

“Hey, I am cutting down on my sweets. Being a model is demanding job you know.”

“Anyway, it’s about time we get this party going before it gets too late,” Ren remarked.

Makoto nodded. Futaba, Ryoko, and Sojiro went to the kitchen, retrieving the food and drinks.

Laughter, smiles, and good times were shared. Stomachs grew full and time passed as the night grew long. It was almost time for everyone to leave.

Ren looked over to Ryuji, giving him the go ahead. Ryuji stood from his stool, walking towards the table where Ann sat with Shiho, Makoto, and Haru.

“Ann, there is something I need to tell you,” Ryuji said, rubbing the back of his head.

“O-okay,” Ann said startled. It was clear to Ren that she knew. Clear to everyone, except the man who was proposing to her.

Ryuji took hold of Ann’s hand. The café fell quiet. Ryuji dropped to a knee.

“Ann, you know we known each other for a while. With a few rough spots here and there, but we’ve been together longer than we’ve been separated. Honestly, I would like to be with you a little while longer; not as your boyfriend or just a friend, but as your husband.”

Ryuji reached into his back pocket, pulling out a ring. “Ann, will you marry me?”

Ann pounced, tackling Ryuji to the floor. A minute must have pass until Ann stopped kissing Ryuji.

“So, I take that as yes,” Ryuji said, slowly standing up.

“Of course, it’s a yes,” Ann said with tears in her eyes, wrapping her arms around her fiancée in a warm embrace. The group congratulated and cheer for the couple’s special moment. Ryoko was wiping the tears from her faces while Sojiro handed her tissues.  
Haru, Makoto, and Futaba congratulated Ann. Yusuke went on proclaiming that he would craft his finest masterpiece for their wedding. Even Morgana had to compliment Ryuji for the speech; right before he went on lecturing him how he must never make Lady Ann sad or otherwise. Ren decided to simply enjoy his coffee as he was finally back among his friends.

“Congrats, Ann, you didn’t even have to act surprised,” Shiho remarked, smirking.

Ryuji immediately realized, looking towards Ann. “Wait? You knew?”

Ann smiled nervously, shrugging her shoulders.

Ryuji threw his head upon realizing he was getting all worked up earlier, “Aw, for real?!”


End file.
